China takes urgent climate action amid deadly rains, flooding
By Carl Samson
China is prioritizing its climate change policy as severe torrential rains and flooding continue to affect several parts of the country. Extensive emergency responses have been put in place to mitigate the impact of the extreme weather.
- What’s happening: Relentless rains since June have caused flash floods and mudslides, resulting in at least 60 deaths. The southern provinces of Guangdong, Fujian and Guangxi are among those that experience severe flooding, leading to mass evacuations. Zhengzhou, the capital city of central China’s Henan province, which lost hundreds of lives from similar flooding in 2021, reportedly endured 9.21 inches of rain for more than three hours on Monday. The torrential rains are expected to continue across 18 regions this month.
- What the government is doing: Aside from relocating thousands of residents, Beijing has deployed hundreds of soldiers and allocated significant funds for disaster relief. It has also prioritized adapting to extreme weather, with recent direct warnings from officials about the increasing threat of heat and rainfall due to climate change. The China Meteorological Administration has published the “Blue Book on Climate Change of China 2024” and advised the public to take precautions, including for secondary disasters.
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